used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was not a sign of life about.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
barredadjectiveUS /bɑːrd/
preventing entry or exit or a course of action
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
bivouacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
defileverb
place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
débris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
not in action or at work
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
immediately past
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There was not a sign of life about.
litteringverbUS /ˈlɪtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “litter” — strew
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
MiningnounUS /ˈmaɪnɪŋ/
the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
Nacozari
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
the middle of the day
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was not a sign of life about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
PaintbrushnounUS /ˈpeɪntbrʌʃ/
a brush used as an applicator (to apply paint)
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
plural of “play” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
plazanounUS /ˈplɑːzə/
a public square with room for pedestrians
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
with speed
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
rainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/
(of weather) wet by periods of rain
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading There was not a sign of life about.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was not a sign of life about.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
trottedverbUS /ˈtrɑːtɪd/
inflected form of “trot” — run at a moderately swift pace
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
clean by virtue of having been washed in water
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The doors of the hotel were closed and locked; the gates barred.
at the time that
From this reading FATE PLAYS A TRICK It was nearly noon when Paintbrush trotted quickly up the last rocky bit of road that led through the narrow defile into Nacozari.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The gay little plaza, washed green with the rainy season, was deserted, but the torn grass and the débris littering the place showed that an army had bivouacked there.
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Across the valley the great works of the Nacozari Mining Company lay idle.
